Hiring helicopter not easy
The recent decision of Telangana Government to hire a helicopter for 55 hours a month to supervise progress of some of its developmental works and maintenance of law and order ran into turbulence.
The Telangana Aviation Corporation submitted to the government tariff proposals from three aviation companies dealing with helicopter and fixed wing services to State governments.
The government’s plans nosedived after one of the companies complained against its rival which was the lowest bidder that the latter was blacklisted by Chhattisgarh government. The government, therefore, apparently backtracked and left the decision to individual departments which will use helicopter services. It was decided that the police will use the chopper for 15 hours and the remaining period will be left for irrigation, roads and buildings and energy departments.
New buses stuck in depots
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation recently purchased a number of air-conditioned, super luxury and express buses but confined them to depots as they have not been registered by Transport Department.
The waiting time for registration of vehicles is generally 30 to 60 days after the on-line application is made and the turn of the token comes. As the corporation will lose crucial revenue without running the buses, a suggestion that it be allowed to jump the queue was made to the government. It is left to the Transport Minister who heads both, the RTA and RTC, to take the call.
Getting a feel of the top spot
Whether or not the senior-most IAS officer in Telangana K. Pradeep Chandra gets the coveted post of Chief Secretary after the incumbent Rajiv Sharma lays down office this month end on superannuation, the former has already got a feel of the top administrative post as he was next in line by virtue of seniority. It has become possible with Mr. Rajiv Sharma going on leave for five days from November 18. Mr. Pradeep Chandra led the official team at the meeting Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao convened before his departure to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister on demonetisation. Senior officials feel it will be a good experience for Mr. Pradeep Chandra in case he was picked up to succeed Mr. Rajiv Sharma.
New face of roads
Telangana will witness a major road overhaul with the State government looking forward to expand its 24,000 km long highway network. But roads in rural areas will shrink further with a large chunk of it getting added to State highways. Meaning the Focussed Road Fund which was proposed for the mega project will not be of much use to commuters in villages.
Even though the work load of Panchayat Raj department will reduce when it comes to rural road maintenance, a reduced road length would mean a shrunk village and a larger town or city. While this could be seen as part of the larger development of the State, skeptics feel that unhealthy urbanisation might not be the right way ahead.
Perhaps, a better thought out project which focuses on development of rural roads might help commuters better than a mega road project that gave importance to a 4,000 km long core road network that was planned out of 24,000 kms.
N. Rahul, B. Chandrasekhar, Nikhila Henry
